


Stories of Final Space

by JeffTheRock



Category: Final Space (Cartoon), Rick and Morty
Genre: Randomness, Shippings are available, garycato - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-17
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:02:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24772093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JeffTheRock/pseuds/JeffTheRock
Summary: A compilation of pretty short one-shots (and maybe drabbles) based on Final Space. It can range into anything, be it humor, drama, crack, yeah. Just so you know, Pretty long one-shots will have to be separate works. There may be certain chapters which is a crossover, so this will have more than fandom specified.
Comments: 8
Kudos: 35





	1. Best Friend's Room Inspection

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys it's been a while now, but I'm having ideas for stories of such since I am definitely obsessed with Final Space as of the moment. I even constructed a playlist myself based on it :o, so sit back and enjoy these shots, and yes I do not own Final Space, it is owned by TBS and Olan Rogers.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gary discovered Avocato having decorated his room. He REALLY wants to see it.

"Hey Avocato, I heard you decorated your room."

"What?"

"Don't lie to me, Mr. Whiskers...Gary sees everything."

"This has nothing to do to you, Gary." Avocato could not stand Gary snooping into his room, afterall, privacy is a great policy.

"This is _my_ ship, and _you_ are my guest! So, rules are rules, baby." Gary answered coolly.

"That's my line!" Avocato protested.

HUE decided to intervene, " _In fact, Gary. The Galaxy One has never been yours to begin with._ _It...is...mine. You are just a prisoner, and so is Avocato."_

"The AI's right, _baby_." Avocato remarked stressing on the word _baby_.

Gary gave a frustrated groan. "Avocato, as your best friend, I need to see your new polished room."

"And why do you need to see it?"

Gary stopped for a while, trying to process that question, "Well, you've been with me for a while and we've been in so many crazy adventures already. It would be great if we can just get along a bit more."

Avocato began to frown. Gary was right; Avocato could not help but feel grateful for his presence with him, "All right, buddy." He turned to his back to head to his room, "Follow me."

As Avocato opened the doors to his quarters, he motioned Gary to come in, "Here it is." Gary with his mouth gaping open headed inside the little room right away.

"It seems pretty nice in here, Avocato." He looked to the cacti placed on most of the shelves, some death metal posters posted on the walls, the arranged desk with some little trinkets, shiny scrubbed walls, and neatly changed beddings. "I like it, Avocato. It's kinda cute for a cat. Isn't that right Mr. Whiskers?" Gary proceeded to scratch Avocato's head.

"Whatever!" Avocato meowed.

_That Night_

Avocato was just having a good night's sleep, until suddenly…

There was some shuffling waking him, and someone hugging him from behind. Its arms felt cold from the skin.

"What are you doing here, Gary?" Avocato asked drowsily but annoyed.

"I was thinking it was pretty lonely in my room, and so, I couldn't sleep. Would it be okay if I sleep here for a while?" Gary answered softly as he hugged his cuddly best friend closer.

"Okay…" Avocato said as his eyes tried their best to shut.

All through the night Avocato had been hugging Gary as he was bigger than he. It helped Gary sleep all through the night, with the fur warming both his body and heart making him snuggle them pretty well. Avocato felt the same way too, as he needed something to rub his head on, just like what a cat would do. Through it all, it assured fate brought them together for a meaningful purpose.

"That was pretty weird." Avocato said as they woke up.

"What was?" Gary asked back, facing him.

"All that...hugging."

"I don't know, but I slept well, thanks to you."

"Me too. Fate really decided to bring us closer together."

"Probably."


	2. Gary Learns About Stealy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A minor crossover with Rick and Morty, mostly on the Interdimensional Cable and Stealy. Gary learns about the kids' favorite show "The Adventures of Stealy".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a disclaimer, if you're wondering, the Interdimensional Cable is just there, no specification of how it got there. Just some typical randomness. Moreover, this shot came from a very fresh idea and wrote it straightawayy, with little editing whatnot. And yes, I do not own Rick and Morty, it is owned by Adult Swim, Justin Roiland, and Dan Harmon.

No one could resist the Interdimensional Cable. Gary once walked to the TV room with its TV watched by three kids on the sofa.

On the screen with the cable (the one with the purple crystal thingy) attached was some little dude with long arms.

“Today, I’ll be stealing a couple of things.” It said.

The kids giggled excited to see him steal.

“He better gouge some eyes out! I swear!” Little Cato said.

“Steal his intestines, I wanna see how long it really is.” Ash replied back.

“Please don’t steal a plumbus, it’s been ten times this week” Fox hoped shakingly as he did not want to see a plumbus over and over out of annoyance.

“He’s gonna get one, Fox! Just face it!” Little Cato grinned inching his face closer.

“Hey kids! How’s that cable doing?” Gary asked while walking closer to them.

“It’s called Mr. Stealy. Best show ever!” Little Cato cried out.

‘What does he do?” 

“He…steals.” 

Ash and Fox nod in agreement.

Gary decided to take a seat on the couch. The sofa was pretty cramped now.

Stealy meanwhile began to make his move in a department store, “Okay, some doors to steal, ‘cause I love doors.” He then proceeded to steal doors. The customers didn’t notice him as he continuously stole a bunch of other things, Some screws, bolts, some clumped dust on the floor.

“Why would he wanna steal dust?” Gary was confused.

“Gary, he just steals.” Little Cato said just that patting on the blonde’s shoulder.

“You kids love strange TV.”

Little Cato scoffed, “You’d never understand. What a shame.” 

Stealy was now back at his safe house as he was about to make his report. 

“Okay, what we got here today…This pretty long sausage, ten feet.” He placed a long soggy sausage on the table, “eighteen..rapples.”

“Just eighteen? That’s lame!” said Fox.

“Next we got a...red crayon… forty-nine rapples.” One tiny red crayon.

“That’s unfair.” Gary whispered loudly.

“I hear you, brother.” said Ash.

“Lastly we got...a...a…jar of pickles.” A medium jar of two fat infused pickles, “Two rapples.”

“That’s weird. Pickles don’t get that low rapples.” said Little Cato.

“Please don’t go any higher!” Fox prayed.

“And a fourth!” Stealy continued.

“Nooooooo!” Fox cried so loudly the whole Crimson Light shook, while Ash and LittleCato cried out in joy. Gary still sat there unsure of all this.

“In your face Tryvuulian!” Little Cato cried out in victory.

“Man, you’re taking this too seriously.” Gary sighed.

“Exactly.” The three said in unison.

The commercials then come in, beginning with something about colorful stuffed bears in a typical colorful forest..

“I’m pretty lost in the forest, what should I do?” asked a purple bear. 

And suddenly, a large demon came out from the ground and the whole forest burned, “Get this gun and you can win a whole lot of rapples! Just make sure you press the goddamn trigger and you’ll be on a beach, and there’ll be a buffet, with seafood, and ice cream, beer, chips, and there will be balloons flying up, and then the whole island will lift.“And I swear this isn’t Up!” Yeah, especially with those balloons carrying the whole island up in the air. “and you will meet some birds, ducks,” a bunch of various avians passed by through the sky, “and you’ll have a golden mirror and you can make shit into silver, gold or whatever gem you wanna create, I don’t know. So what do you say?”

“Fuk yeah!” The bear yelled in a deeper voice before receiving the heavy turret and then came the carnage of a multitude of monsters coming out from the ground.

“Get your fucking socks today and win a shit ton of rapples.” Said the bear facing the audience with a picture of a pair of white socks whose name is, “ _ Some Socks _ ”

Gary was left in shock, his mouth and eyes gaping open. The three looked to him in disapproval.

“You really need to see TV more.” Little Cato said because Gary needed it.


	3. Cola Session

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Crimson Light is on vacation, and it's Ash's chance to get closer to Little Cato. Here's some Lil Cato x Ash story for y'all as requested by Jacob Pena. Enjoy, my good man :)

"I can't help but think Little Cato to be so cute!" Ash cried out to Nightfall in the room they share.

"Keep it down, Ash!" said Nightfall giggling. Ash giggled back crashing on her bed laughing non-stop.

As her laughter gradually died down, she said, "Now that we're taking a break from finding those dimensional keys, it'll be my chance to invite him for a walk on the beach! I just wanna get closer to other people you know. He was the first person aside from family to ever come across me and Fox.

"I have not really talked to him the first time we met. He was a quiet kid, moody too, just like me. But I bet he was pretty amazing, the way he fights, the way he gets along with people is just…" She could not think of the right word for it.

"Amazing?" Nightfall suggested.

"You can say that. He is someone more than what I expected. That's what I like about him."

"Heyo!" An echo vibrated throughout the halls outside followed by a rising sound of running steps ending with a slide on the metal floor. It was Gary humming a set of tunes as he slid to the door of the girls' room. He knocked his right knuckle on the steel door and called out, "Hey guys, we've just arrived at the best beach in the sector! And we're here to celebrate with some colaaa!" he raised his left hand holding a green plastic basket holding a pack of nine cola cans before skipping himself off.

* * *

It didn't take too long for the two ladies to gather at the bridge where everyone was. Ahead the window was a wide sky painted in many shades of pink and purple. Beneath it was the shore of tan sand stretching by a mile ahead of the few coconut trees and their dark leaves dispersed throughout the beach, giving a clear space for the sand.

"We are now arriving at _Pinkgrove Beach_ , the best beach in the sector." Said AVA cheerfully.

"Hell yeah! Time for a big break!" Gary said pushing both his scruffy blonde hair and head back.

"It's been pretty long I've been on a beach." Said Little Cato nonchalantly giving a light smile. Ash felt him too, but the fact was, she had never been into one. Not in any place in Serepentis where it was all ground and rock.

"Beautiful." She said softly.

The Crimson Light made its descent on the sand clear of the coconut trees and by then, the crew gathered in front of the main door slowly opening up to reveal a lush ethereal world. As soon as the door anchored on the ground, the team rushed out to take a deep breath of fresh air (Fox for one enjoyed it really much proven with his arms stretched out wide). Little Cato breathed in calmly like his dad and let it out with a pleasing sigh. Gary meanwhile with Mooncake dragged HUE out to the sea to see if he could be waterproof.

Ash was the last person to step out. She brought with her two baskets of cola and looked to Little Cato walking to the left by himself. She took a deep breath and rushed towards him calling out his name.

The young Ventrexian looked back puzzled, "Ash?" He asked.

"It's just…" she wondered what to say next, "I just brought some cola for you. I know you love cola and all that, haha! We can walk around too if you like." She said, presenting the basket of cans to him looking away from his face in embarrassment.

But Little Cato didn't mind, "I would love some cola, Ash. Let's just sit somewhere where we can drink." He walked further motioning the still girl to come along.

"Won't you swim, Little Cato?"

"I never had my trunks with me. Why?" He replied dryly.

"I don't know, I was expecting everyone to swim, like Gary." She looked to find Gary stripped down to his underwear dragging HUE to the water in hardship for the robot's resistance. She sighed looking to her Ventrexian peer from behind, "I myself won't swim either. I'm… not really a good swimmer." The Ventrexian nodded back.

Finally, the two found a place a bit much farther to sit in peace and crank the cans open.

Ash looked over the horizon, her can still heavy after tiny sips, "Little Cato when was your last time on a beach?"

"Quite long ago. My dad took me to some, but I don't remember them anymore. Being on a beach again feels quite weird, but it was nice."

"It sure was. There were never beaches in Serepentis. In fact, there wasn't anything. Just some dirt and crummy stalls popping up everywhere, and a crazy cult."

"To be honest Ash, when I first heard about Serepentis, there was like gonna be snake people all over, I wondered, why aren't you a snake."

Ash giggled and gave a puzzled look, "Seriously, that's pretty off, my man. But okay, if I were a snake person, I'd slide anywhere, even under doors and holes for espionage." She sighed, as she thought of her lost sister she was supposed to save, she frowned and looked to her feet trying to bury themselves in the sand, "I'd make a great team with Harp."

"Same way I'd make mine with my dad." Little Cato replied somberly taking a large sip finishing the can.

Ash realized that as they were together, they would make a team to fight against all odds in the universe at this point, "Maybe we can make a great team together with Fox too. You'd not wanna get your beef on him too much, he's pretty great to be around too."

"You can say that." Said Little Cato leaning back and taking another can.

The silence followed, and two teenagers were enjoying the peace in the beach, sounds of the soft crashing waves, the calling of seagulls flying over the vast sea tinted in warm colors.

"Ash, how many cans have we taken?" Little Cato asked in surprise. Ash looked over the basket to find one full can left. The two slowly looked up to each other.

"You take it," Ash suggested.

"No. You do."

"We rock paper scissors for it!" Ash's voice went much tense.

Little Cato rolled his eyes and agreed in a groan.

The battle began, but they went all tied! Scissors. Rock. Paper. Paper. Rock. Paper. Scissors. Scissors. Rock.

"What the hell's happening?" Ash asked with little bursts of laughter. Scissors. Scissors. Paper.

"I don't know!" Little Cato exclaimed almost laughing as well. Rock. Paper. Paper.

The two then stopped. This had to be settled once and for all.

"Let's just play _Thimbles_ for it," Ash suggested nonchalantly.

"I'm tired, Ash! I don't wanna move a lot."

Without hesitation, the two went another round, and FINALLY!

Ash held out a rock, while her rival held out scissors. Ash raised her arms and shouted in victory, "Woooh!". Little Cato groaned and crashed down to his bum it hurt a bit. Ash meanwhile snagged the can and jumped around dancing. She looked to the Ventrexian facing her with a soft smile. She went slightly puzzled for a moment.

"Take it, dude. I had too much cola right now," Little Cato replied before giving a big belch.

Ash looked to her can and could see the Little Cato deserved some too. He was amazing after all. As she opened it, she immediately fountained half her share and soon handed the can to him.

"Have some, bro." She said.

Little Cato slowly took it, his brain knotted up, "Thanks?" He stared at the cola in his hand for some time until he looked back, "You're cool and nice, you know? I like it."

Ash couldn't help but smile widely. She proceeded to sit down next to him and look at the sweet kitty taking his last sip for the day. Through instinct, she dropped her head to the young Ventrexian's shoulders snuggling under the fur of his head, making him shudder a bit,

"I'm pretty tired, Lil Cat-to," Ash answered exhaustively. Little Cato sighed and decided to let her do her thing, but she deserved to do so because he knew she was what mattered to him now.

Little Cato leaned his head back against Ash's and the two gazed at the ethereal horizon filled with seagulls and their calls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am happy to announce that I can now accept requests! If there's a story you'd like to see, please let me know in the comments below! Thank you for reading (or skimming XD), everyone. :)


	4. Ooh! Shiny River

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As requested by StarHeartSpecials. Gary and Avocato switch bodies on a strange planet. For consistency, that'll be a minor AU, where Avocato wasn't possessed by Invictus and fortunately, still had his memories with him.

The two men were on a mission: to head an abandoned warehouse to collect some good metal for needed ship repairs on a desolate cold and white planet named _Zanis._ Known for its tales of mysterious occurrences, trippy looking trees, rivers, and actual intact ice on the river during a hot summer, and many more, it has been left abandoned and fled by all its residents a century ago.

"It's weird we're stepping on some white grass, Avocato." said Gary tugging his zipped jacket close to his body and kicking the little things with his boot.

"Weird grass for a weird planet," Avocato replied with his eyes on his GPS.

"I thought it was some ice planet, although it's kinda cold."

Avocato muffled back before looking ahead to see a large rectangular warehouse decayed for somewhat years. The dark stain infested the lower parts of the walls forming like moss. The long rectangular windows have some of it too.

"Found it, Gary." Avocato began to jog his way, prompting Gary to do likewise.

While jogging, Gary turned to something catching his eyes. It was a flowing river, made beautiful with its silver color and glitter shining in a variety of colors. As he was still jogging, he slowed his pace to take a good look of such beautiful anomaly,

"Ooh! Shiny river…" Gary whispered, "Avocato!" He called as he rushed to him, "Look to your right, Avocato. I found something amazing!", but Avocato couldn't stop; they're so close to the warehouse, and he was now staggering a bit as Gary clenched his hands on his shoulders.

"Gary, there's no time for a tour, we need those metal scraps now!" Avocato replied pulling himself away from Gary's hold.

Gary sighed and tugged his jacket closer to him again. He curled his lips and rushed to Avocato again for being such a killjoy. "Please, kitty, this isn't urgent. Let's have a moment to enjoy the place shall we?"

"It's probably dangerous, Gary. In fact, everything here's dangerous, nobody lives here!" Avocato still keeping his jog escalated to a brisk run to escape Gary.

"I don't think so, Avocato. We won't be here a short time anyway; I'm tired of going through shit." Gary's vexation finally became a point where he could push Avocato for not having to relax, or maybe make Gary relax. The push suddenly broke Avocato's balance followed by Gary's as his hands still clenched on to the Ventrexian. The two men tumbled down on the grassy slope by the river's side and ended up splashing into the shiny water.

The two breathed heavily upon bobbing their heads up and Avocato, although a good swimmer began to struggle to keep afloat. Gary who was the opposite after spending years on the ground managed to float himself just fine.

"Avocato, Help!" Avocato's voice pierced the blonde's ears. Without hesitation, he swam to wrap his arm on his friend's top and began returning to the land. The blonde let his friend up first before getting himself up to his feet on the ground. He looked down to see his furry friend on his back, limbs shaping him to an x and breathed heavily.

For a moment, the blonde began to lose it. Did he see his own body on the ground?

"Thank you for saving me, Avocato." The friend panted only to make the blonde realize that he...

"Look at your arms, Gary." The blonde breathed.

As the furry friend looked to his arms, he jumped! The Ventrexian looked all over the rest of his body in disbelief. His tail whipped around and he could feel it. "I'm a cat." He said in a hushed tone but heavy with shock.

"Are we tripping?" asked the blonde.

"I'm sure not."

"This is your fault, Gary!" said Avocato his voice cracking as the blonde letting out a sound colder than the true Gary one pointing a finger.

Gary, the furry one laughed hard, "I look funny with that loud voice you make!"

"I don't expect my body laughing like that!" Avocato shot back. Sure, he hated laughing especially having such a raspy deep voice.

"We need to get out of here. We can go to some other planet."

Gary could not believe his body to be acting like that, "Yes, Captain Gary!"

"Please don't say that. Hand me my canteen at the left side of my belt."

Gary complied and as Avocato took it, he raised the opened canteen over him and let its contents out, most going to his mouth and some splashing on his face. He headed to the river and dropped the canteen down to collect it.

"What are you doing?" Gary asked.

"I'm gonna make a cure with this water. While we're at it, we gotta make sure our son doesn't know what happened to us."

Gary stopped and fidgeted as a thought came into mind, "I kinda understand. The whole crew would think we have been invaded by some mind control worm and that they might kill us."

"Correct. I don't want things to get harder. We'll find a way to get our bodies back. I promise." Avocato looked to Gary, pouting his lips making them glisten under the light.

Gary gasped and just commented on how cool and beautiful Avocato Gary could just be.

A middle finger was just the response.

_Back at the Crimson Light._

The two men stayed in Gary's room. Its desk was clear of anything bulky save a microscope, a bunch of beakers, and a miniature chem apparatus. Avocato looked through the microscope inspecting a drop of the river water.

"Gary, I found out what might have caused our bodies to switch. Most of its electrons are mutated, making them electrically powerful enough that it can even stimulate an organism's nerves and alter them. What made our bodies switch was the fact that with the presence of two organisms, the water's molecules could switch their consciousness, although not entirely." he looked back to see Gary fluffing the patch of fur on his cheeks and tapping the pointy tips of his cat ears,

"I'm just so cuddly and warm!" Gary said cheerfully, "It feels great being a cat." He then said in the best suave voice he could muster.

Avocato stared back in disappointment, "How long do you want to be a 'cat'?"

"Till the antidote's finished, baby." His voice got way deeper it began to charm the shit out of anyone.

Avocato's face tensed and swore to himself he could stun him down.

The door opened and Little Cato coolly stepped in pointing gun fingers towards the two dads, "How are my favorite two dads doin'?"

"Things are going _suave_ , Mr. Spider Cat." Gary did that tone again.

Avocato's face clenched even aggressively and simultaneously gave a low growl on his closed lined lips.

"What's going on? Dad Cato, since when did you decide to call me _Spider Cat_?"

 _He had to get out_. Avocato (in Gary) walked toward his boy, "Everything's going well, _Spider Cat_ , but your dads are busy with _crap_ -ton things. So if you mind, have yourself a sandwich and go enjoy some TV."

"You're acting a little strange, dad."

"Go watch TV!" The two demanded.

"Fine! I'm going," said Little Cato stepping out of the room. "Weird dads," he whispered.

The room suddenly went still.

"Is that the best Gary you can do?"

"I freaked, okay! Come on, help me with the cure."

The two men worked hand in hand, forming the cure in a long process. Around it was the persistent pungent dark smoke, spewing out of some beakers, a painstaking goal to put one drop on the product (unless they wanted the whole ship to explode) and after ten minutes, it was ready. A 5 mL dark blue suspension glistened in the encased glass sealed with a big mechanical cork.

"We finally did it, Gary!" said Avocato giving Gary a fist bump.

"What do we do now?" asked Gary, sloshing his tail.

"We gotta go to the shower and shower ourselves with this,"

"You bet!" Avocato smirked.

"HELLO!" A loud echoic voice jumped between the two men letting out a sharp screech and look to see a despicable foe. It appeared behind them and they could see it came from one of the room cabinets. The ball rusty body and metal pincers of the figure seemed too real, the two (most especially Gary) wished they were in a bad dream.

"You!" Avocato exclaimed with his very best to sound like Gary (that was for the best), "What are you doing here?"

"I've been witnessing you two make something out of liquid, because you switched bodies with each other, and I'm gonna take that vial," the robot snatched the vial off of Avocato's hands, "And take it out of our misery." The robot bellowed, sharpening his eyes to daggers, "Bye now!" said the robot suddenly cheerfully floating quickly out of the room.

"Get 'im!" Avocato cried and the two rushed off to kill that bastard.

"I'm gonna throw this vial away because I just love messing with people!" KVN cried out joyfully as he headed to the waste pod situated below the ship. The statement infuriated Gary so much he added fuel to his cat legs to catch KVN about to make a brief ruckus at Fox's garden.

Fox in the middle of watering a plant suddenly stopped to see KVN getting chased by the two. KVN found a way to block himself with Fox's large body albeit briefly as Gary quickly reached to the back to grab him, but KVN quickly let go and escaped through the door ahead.

The three made their way to the dining hall where Nightfall was on her sandwich,

"Stop KVN, Nightfall! He's gonna destroy the ship!" said Avocato.

Nightfall set her sandwich down with a grin, "I'm on it," Nightfall proceeded to land a kick on KVN's side throwing him off to the wall, but still he stood and drifted away even faster,

"You're not gonna catch me!" he taunted.

"AVA! call the crew to stop him!" Gary commanded the AI much to her amusement.

As she announced the emergency alarm concerning KVN, the whole crew quickly followed the two, and finally, all of them cornered KVN now a few feet away from a disposal chute leading to the waste pod. Not all the crew hated KVN but was concerned about how his antics might ruin the team.

"Oh no! I'm cornered, but I'm just so near the chute. Aw, man!" KVN remorse in a cliché fake manner and Gary could not even cringe more. With his cat legs, he pounced in on KVN to the floor to wrestle him down and snatch the vial, but Gary was close, KVN already shot the vial up in the air, it was almost over, the vial circling itself downwards. A slow-mo would heighten such suspense. Most of the crew stood in shock, but Gary and Avocato shocked to terror. Gary, with his might, threw himself to catch the vial, but with his lanky arms, he just pushed the vial forward.

"NOOOOOOOOO!" Gary and Avocato cried their hearts out, raising their hands to just try to reach for that vial.

20 inches…

10 inches…

7 inches…

5 inches…

3 inches…

2 inches!

"NOM!" A loud biting sound rang in the air, and the vial was only stuck at two inches to the ground. Mooncake chirped holding the vial with his mouth making his body almost flat like a pancake. Gary shoved KVN away and took the vial and gave the alien a big hug. He soon held Avocato's bionic arm and both rushed to the shower.

As the two men entered a stall, Avocato inserted the vial to a shower control made specifically for such cases like those. A green light flashed and the machine sucked in the contents. Gary turned the knob to the max. In full agitation, Gary brought Avocato to a close hug. Avocato did likewise. The two closed their eyes in deep embrace, not minding the cold water getting in the way of their clothes.

It has been a minute now, and a paw slowly grabbed the knob to turn down until it stopped.

The two looked at their drenched faces and as they stared longer, they suddenly laughed.

Avocato looked at his arms to see a bunch of grey fur all over. He plucked some of it to make sure he was back to his own body.

Gary looked at both his raised hands and upon affirming that he was seeing his own organic and bionic one, "Are we still tripping?"

Avocato chuckled giving the blonde nudge on the arm. Gary, in retaliation, fluffed the damp fur of Avocato's cheeks, giving him a laugh of pleasure and relief.

"Let's say we go back to Zanis." Gary continued.

Avocato playfully scoffed, "No. It's a damned place."

"Wanna see if we can switch KVN with a tater?"

Avocato suddenly gawked but ultimately found it might not be much of a bad idea at all, "You bet." he smirked.


	5. Trials of Dust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one-shot is based on the pilot episode. Gary tries to impress Quinn as he takes on a newly installed challenge while training as a member of the Infinity Guard.

Not a lot of people get dust pretty much. They're annoying, and we have to clean them off. Furthermore, a lot of people don't mind where dust really comes from and how they come back. I myself don't even know how and why either, so...we're kinda even. It's hard to explain what dust really is.

Today, I am cleaning a whole lot of dust, and for some reason, I've been thinking about dust while I was at it. I don't know how it got there, but it's something I might need to clean up. And right there, behind the window above my right, she is right there, her hands locked together on her back, expecting me to finish the cleaning job, which is completing a newly installed course.

I can't let her down, not even with that placid look on her pretty face.

What exactly am I doing on this newly installed simulation exercise that came not less than ten hours ago? And why am I the only person to try it first? It is surprising to me, especially to my colleagues sitting on the bench a foot away.

"Hope you don't burn your ass!" One of them hollers. His name is Jimmy, a pretty nice guy. We hang out at times.

A laugh soon came but not from him, but his best friend, the pale wrinkle faced Derek. God, his laugh was as broken as a donkey's bray as always. I feel like I wish I could wheeze. How many packs has he taken?

"If you do lose your ass, brother, I challenge you to finish the best stick in the galaxy and you don't stop till all of it's ash!" his broken voice follows. Never have I wanted to finish a stick in one sitting. Never have I wanted a stick at all; it disgusts me. Maybe, I could get four shots of rum. That'd be fair.

I look to the window again to see Quinn still standing there and a bunch of well-pressed dudes behind her: generals I believe? Businessmen? Elites? I can't tell, but anyway, I face the finish line (for lack of a better term), a glowing yellow platform ahead with a whole array of traps in between, plenty of drones, flamethrowers, triangular obstacles moving left and right at random speeds, and the platform itself, customized to fluctuate at certain points like raise, or lower, or maybe make a wave.

I am probably about ten meters from the finish line. It's gonna take a pretty long time, and I feel Quinn wants me to finish it. I check my blaster, full, and ready. I practice my aiming and keep the blaster steady. Part of the practice, I secretly shift my right foot backward and poise myself as if I'm in a battle of an RPG. I breathe and warm my eyes up for better precision.

I eventually stood relaxed again to take a deep breath and face Quinn again. She isn't looking back but she still holds that same face. I believe she is expecting me the fact she still stood there. The longer I stared, the more I wanted this dust out of the way. She needs to see how capable I am for this job, and how capable I can take dust like this out, without even knowing where they would have come from, as with anyone with how they treat dust.

I look overhead and above the finish line is a floating drone with propellers on its tip and on its big black screen are blue-green letters reading _00:00_.

It's time.

I poise myself, with my blaster at hand and the countdown begins.

_Three...Two...One_

The loud pop from the speakers is _go_.

I run to the first platform and the triangle ahead shifts fast, it spurts of sparks. I stop my feet to study their movement, and open space, _Boom!_ I quickly leap. Another open space. I pass. Another comes and another! they were in a matter of seconds when I passed through them. It was intense, I passed through the open spaces in mere seconds, at least I got out alive, although I think there were some that got close to my bod.

Next platform ahead. Crap! It's rising fast and the platform I'm on seems to descend. No platform's going high on my watch. I leap and have my hands holding on the platform. I bring my arms to raise myself up, and they're quickly getting sore as I hasten. _Holy crap!_ There are drones with their helicopter propellers flying over me! Their teeny weeny lasers can make your skin itch. Even with my uniform on, these lasers could penetrate this poor suit and it's as bad as getting a shot with your skin bare.

I quickly shoot them while my left pulls my whole body up. It's about five seconds and my stomach's finally flat on the platform, I stand quickly and look down, _Dear God! I'm pretty high!_ Luckily some monkey bars overhead, some rubber-coated blue rings, were fastened on the ceiling. I leap and swing on the comfy rings while keeping myself fluid in my movement. I have skipped five platforms three feet below me that contain some challenges, like flamethrowers, the triangles running at fast speeds.

I look to the window again, only to see Quinn. I cannot fail her. Her entirety is the reason why she made my day. The way she stood taught me to be strong, to be calm in the face of danger, and most importantly to keep my feet all the time. Her face was not extravagant, nor is it ominous. The way she held her eyes and lips were just so blissful and calm that when you look at them, you could be sent to a world of serenity.

When I look at her, my world stops to restore itself, like how a forest recovers its green patches after some bad fire. But I wouldn't expect her to look back. We barely talk or even hang out, the fact that she is of higher authority, and that I am on a much lower rank. I can't see her every day, and just in a matter of two weeks. But she is an inspiration, a model I can look up, a nice person. She is perfect for me and…

 _Oh no…_ Did I miss a ring or was my hand just grabbing a piece of air, instead of a ring? _Uh oh_ … I already let my other hand holding the back ring go. The gravity takes its course as it pulls me down below to the triangles on the third to the last platform. My body takes an impact on the triangles and its electric currents shake my entire nerves and veins. The force of the fall shook my whole body, but I still can't give up. I move forward to pass over and through the set of flamethrowers by rolling my body and finally my eyes catch the yellow light emitting from the ground. I straighten myself up and throw myself to the finish platform.

" _Four minutes and Fifty-two seconds_." said the automated timer above right at me.

I breathe hard and my head spins in such a whirl I can throw up. I want to lay down for a while and enjoy the loud cheers of my colleagues at the back. Even as I lay down, the pain grew worse vibrating all the way to my stomach. I have to stand and so, without much of a fuss, I Iet my feet up to look over the window again. Quinn is gone, and I am seeing those well-pressed dudes with their glasses filled with champagne chatting up, some laughing.

I sigh, with a realization that even if you have finished cleaning some dust, they would just come back, but I can clean them again and that's what I have to do.

_Oh, Quinn…_

I gasp and shake to a sharp chill sent down from the back of my neck and I find out to realize it was an arm from Derek wrapping an arm behind me.

"That was great, champ!" His raspy sound shreds my ears.

"I got my ass burned if that's what you're thinking?" I answer back.

"Not really…you did great, that's for sure," says Jimmy.

I look back to the window. Even it's absent of Quinn, I'm sure she would be proud of my best and I didn't have to realize it. The dust has been taken away...for now.

Right now, my friends and I need to chillax at the bar not far from this compound. "Let's go have a drink, shall we?"


	6. Cold Rain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Avocato and six year old Little Cato brace the cold rainy night with their heater broken. Very Drabble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was just last night when it was rainy and cold and at some point, I was like, "Hey! I think could make an Avocato and Little Cato story with this!" and so, this came to be :)

Avocato hissed after making the third attempt of restarting the unworking air conditioner. It couldn't fail, not even when a heavy rain was pouring outside making the air cold around.

Little Cato was ready for bed, but he couldn't stop rolling over the mattress and curling himself to keep himself warm. His fur could do less to guard such a little body of his.

"Daddy, is the heater coming?" The little boy asked his father rubbing his face grimly,

"It's coming!" Although it definitely wasn't.

"I'm really cold! The blankets are not enough to keep me warm!"

Avocato felt the same way too. The cold air had been going around inside for minutes. He sighed leaning a hand on the wall looking up to the god forsaken heater.

He returned to where Little Cato would hit the sack and sat on the soft mattress telling him, "It isn't coming anytime soon, son."

Little Cato grumbled and curled himself turning away. Avocato sighed once more and soon lay down putting an arm over him,

"Looks like dad can't fix the heater tonight. It takes a really long time to fix it." Avocato continued.

"That's dumb! I'm cold and you can't fix it." Little Cato seethed back, his toddler voice making his dad smile.

"Can I sleep here tonight?"

Little Cato darted at him immediately shedding his frustration, "Please! Please! Sleep with me please!"

Avocato chuckled, glad that his son said yes. After killing all the lights in the house, Avocato wrapped both his arms around him while pulling the covers over them and telling him good night with a kiss on the forehead. Little Cato laughed and greeted back, snuggling close to his dad's soft shirt and thick fur.

The two warmed all over through the cold and rainy night.


	7. Would Days be Better in Space?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A younger Gary wished he could be in someplace else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been pretty busy lately, which is why I make and post stories irregularly now, but fret not, I'm still getting this kicking for you my fellow Fantrexians.

Gary just couldn't stop. He wouldn't.

How the hell did he end up in this mess? Why would he even be here at all? He was supposed to be at home, at least with his mom. But she wasn't…so would that matter in the end? Plus he had no home. He destroyed it with his own hands.

He was stuck. Picture this, he was in some enclosed space. All walls. No opening. He was stuck. Everything, his heart, and whole physical being were enclosed in darkness. He wanted to get out. He had to. He had been banging on the hard walls first screaming and cursing that he be let go, and later hysterically laughing and crying.

He cursed at everything, his mother, his father, those bullies that killed his pet Mooncake, and some sort of things he did not want to talk or think about.

If he kept on, his captors would be too irritated to the point they would just drive a laser shot on the head. He was a fucked up thief (and he said it himself), and stealing that precious crystal in a heavily guarded compound for some sideline job was an asinine idea, but he really needed the money for a month of survival. He failed, and now the police are going after his troop. As punishment, he was taken back to his employer's place and thrown into an enclosed prison for five hours (that long and they still hadn't got caught).

Would Gary know how long he would stay inside? Of course not. No one ominous would tell how long one stays imprisoned. Five hours, but it seemed a year for the troubled teenage delinquent.

He was hungry, sweaty, and terrified. He had nothing with him, not even a tiny blanket. All he had was his torn varsity jacket which he had kept throughout the cold autumn season. He slid it off and hugged it hoping he could go to sleep. He badly wished he could sleep off all of that shit and once he would wake up, it would be over. He would be back at his treehouse or some shack in the darkest parts of the city. He could be up there, in space, where his dad had wondrous adventures. But fantasy or not, there wouldn't be any satisfaction.

"Get the kid out," a muffled voice rang from outside. Gary did not move, nor react to the sound. He would continue to be unfazed even as a dull chorus began to settle in. The louder they got though, the more the young man's curl on the ground tightened. He feared something would grab him from the dark, and he had no time to rationalize that nothing was inside.

Finally, Gary's eyes picked up something strange. It hurt his eyes bad and he realized it was something he had not seen in a while. Gary thought of it as a chance, and so, he sat up and looked into the bright speck carefully by putting a hand in front of his squinting eyes looking through the gaps of his fingers. The speck went bigger and bigger and bigger until it turned into a bright gray room. Some guys were standing in front of him, about their late twenties.

Gary stood to his feet. His head spun and eyes strained with the view's stark sharpness. His face was blank and his raised hands in tremors making the guy in front shake his head.

Gary began to walk and the guys in front moved aside to give him way. As Gary finally went out of that hellhole, he realized he was in some cemented room. A red-colored steel staircase was on his left.

"What's going on?" Gary asked timidly.

"You fucker don't know? We are getting caught because of you! You set off those alarms and your ass was caught on camera!"

"I couldn't see! I tried!" Gary sobbed.

"Yeah. You tried, kid." the blue alien whispered pulling out a blaster towards the blonde's face.

Gary stepped a foot back, albeit very lightly. He froze most of the time, and his mind went totally blank. Why did the alien not shoot?

"Are you gonna kill me now?" Gary asked plainly, his eyes darting the stairs in a split second. The blue alien laughed loosening himself a bit, thinking how a stupid puny human could face an alien four times his size.

"What is this, Goodspeed? A trick? Don't get your hopes too high. You have no weapon."

Gary was about to frown again, thinking that he was right. Nevertheless, he stood straight, gulped, and raised his head up to face him,

"I guess, that'll be my time then. But before that, I want some cookies on that jar over there," Gary pointed on a glass jar of chocolate chip cookies on the pantry with a couple of kitchen knives stacked on a wooden placement on the right. One of them was all he needed to finally get out, yet he could have some cookies too.

"Go ahead," the blue alien said, simply letting a hand out for the human to pass.

When Gary reached the pantry, he had a chance to get this guy off his guard. To get his attention and get closer to him, he pretended to look for the jar like a blind man. The blue alien raised a brow getting more peeved with Gary's strange behavior,

"What are you doing?" he asked walking closer.

It went all according to plan.

"What the fuck?" The blue alien hissed getting closer,

Gary quickly reached a hand on one of the knives and drove it down on the side near the right shoulder. A scream led to more screams from the alien's cohorts and aimed at the human now with a gun at one hand and the jar at the other.

He darted straight for the stairs and fired sporadic shots at the cohorts shooting back. Gary sprinted straight out the door to a gray cemented hallway, just like those hallways on backstage. Gary, his senses fired up, drifted to every door until he could find an exit and shooting anyone on his way, and luckily he wasn't shot. It was like a maze, and it wasn't long till he finally found large red doors with glass windows shedding a purple color along with yellow bokeh.

Gary ran faster and pushed the doors open, and his skin instantly turned cold with the blowing wind. His mouth curled to a small as he took gasps of fresh air.

_Blam!_

A massive weight crushed Gary down now screaming and squirming out of a tight grip pinning him down. It was large and its skin was blue, and he could not mistake bleeding on the right shoulder.

"I'm just so glad I'm still alive, Gary," he growled, "You puny bastard ain't goin' nowhere messing more missions you are employed for!"

With a screech, Gary made a shot at his captor and leaped off his feet rushing to the open gate. He didn't look where he hit, but he hoped he didn't kill that alien. As Gary continued running out, he could faintly hear a terrible wail, dying down as the blonde went further.

It was a moment of relief when Gary arrived at a train station to get far from the area and its police. Luckily his train card still had enough balance for him to get on. It was a bit crowded inside; the rush hour was still going on and would end in the next hour. With a lot of people going around all over, he could blend in quite easily, yet before going along with them, he headed straight for the restroom to wash off the blood sticking to his skin and hair. He wrapped the terribly stained jacket around his waist just before he could leave.

It was when he finally got on a train he was relieved. With a deep breath, he pulled out an mp3 player which he had kept for some time from the pocket of his pants. It had his dad's favorite songs and when he listened to them, the more intense he desired to go to space and see if it may be a better place there, even if it can't be that great.

He closed his eyes and leaned his head back on the glass window while stretching his legs forward. The smooth tune of _Space Oddity_ and the departing train transported him to some sort of ethereal dream where he was among the stars and he hoped that God's love be with him as he went on that dream.


	8. Missing Him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Somewhat a sequel to Best Freind’s Room Inspection.

Gary turned from his side, his hazy vision trailing across the sudden bright lights hitting against a rather bulky figure. He needed not to jump himself up, since it was just his best friend, seemingly giving off a frown and a lowered head, as Gary's vision clears gradually.

"Gary…" the Ventrexian by the door said.

Gary propped himself slowly up while making sure not to wake Mooncake up who was nestling his chest. Gary slowly moved the green blob and setting him down on the soft mattress before sitting himself to face Avocato.

"I remember those days when Little Cato was just a little baby, I would tuck him every night. And I would hold him too, and…" Avocato looked away briefly, scratching the back of his head, "I just…" Avocato could find no other words to continue. He couldn't make any more choices of what to say. Before Avocato could continue, Gary sighed softly and answered back "I know how much you feel, my friend…" Gary answered back prompting Avocato to give a chuckle, "You must be missing him again."

Avocato nodded back, turning his face away to keep Gary from seeing his frown.

"You wanna talk it over till we sleep? You can stay here for the night, But Mooncake's taking the whole mattress empire,"

"Doesn't this ship have a bigger mattress?"

Gary paused for a while giving a face as if he realized something, "Oh yeah…"

It didn't take long for Gary to take a white extra foldable mattress from the cabinet. It wasn't that cushioned, but soft enough to lie on, and with everything set, the two hombres laid down, looking up at the blue ceiling, like some cheesy scene.

"Let Mooncake take my bed. We can stay here for the night."

"Gary, would you in a million years, wish to go back in time?" Avocato asked,

Gary looked up again, and understood the scope of the question, "Yes. I could get a million cookies, but HUE might catch me, brand me as an imposter, and send me hurling in space."

"Not the answer I was hoping for, but, okay." What an honest answer. Avocato knew too well cookies as the blonde's topmost obsession, from that moment in the Lazarus Trap, up to endless discussions at certain times aboard the _Galaxy One_.

"What about you, Avocato?"

"It's hard to explain, but I do wish I could not lead my past self here in the first place."

"What are you saying?"

"I'll tell you soon."

"Take your time," Gary said looking up at the dark ceiling. Suddenly, his heart sank, "You said you wished you were never here in the first place. That said, what will happen to me? I have no one. You're the only one I got." he continued.

"That's not important. Nah, forget what I said. What's important is, I must be here with you for a reason. Didn't I say that we are fated to be together one night?"

"' _Probably'_. I remember that as the answer."

"And be grateful for it, Gary."

"I will."

That moment, Gary could sense the patch of fur slowly clutching up to him much closer. He must be in a hug from his cat friend. He remembered that same kind of warmth.

"Promise me you'll help me get my boy back."

"I will. It's my destiny to get your boy back."

"Thank you...for everything," Avocato said softly before giving a wide yawn and slowly closing his eyes, and leaning his head onto Gary's. Gary gave a smile and softly locking his hands with Avocato's arms.

"I'd do anything for a great friend like you." Gary softly replied as soon as he entered into deep sleep.


	9. Company

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set in “The Other Side”. This was originally a chapter from a bigger work set in the same episode I had been working the past year, but I ultimately decided to shelf it, until I realize I could take some and just make this into short.

He didn't realize he was standing in the bathroom for hours already.

Little Cato faced the soiled cloudy mirror with his hands on the tiny ceramic sink carrying most of his body leaning forward. He gave a sigh and proceeded to straighten the fur on his head tangled up all over the place. He had not kept himself groomed for years after being stuck on that time crystal, save for countless quick showers in the past few weeks, and some brief combing of his fur every forty minutes, but these quick showers and light grooming did nothing to change the soiled fur, nor the taste and feeling in his mouth bearing a grimy and foamy sensation.

He sighed and looked to the reflection in the mirror. His face was not like the one sixty years ago. it got bigger and seemed to be smaller than his bigger and broader shoulders. He opened the faucet to let the cold water soothe his hands, upper body, and face. That was the only shower he could get at those times. After finishing, he grabbed his dark shirt to put on along with the kevlar armor to follow.

As he exited, the halls were as same as always, gloomy and few of the lights buzzing in the air, it gives you a feel like you are in some haunted basement. He walked on the halls alone and each step was just loud enough for everyone to hear. But was there anybody on board? No. There wasn't. He wished there were, everyday.

He headed straight for his room with a heavy heart. As he walked draggingly, he began to feel that the moment he steps in, he would slowly get a fever, and maybe he should lay down in bed to rest.

He shortly arrived at his door, automatically opening to him, and the room was just the same, dim, and somehow neat. The first thing he could see was the hologram device sitting on his desk under the spotlight of white light overhead. It was so long Little Cato had talked to his father, and he would now talk to him once again. He was told it wasn't healthy to be overdoing it, and even if Little Cato knew what would happen to him, he still would go for it anyway.

But he was not in the mood of talking, and so he crashed on his bed, hoping to sleep and relax a bit. Two minutes in, and everything was still. His eyes trailed over the dark room, save for the light shooting like a flashlight from the gap at the bottom of the door. Time tread on in the darkness, and eventually, his eyes lost focus to the metallic wall where his pillow was set. His vision was in a blur and it lasted long in time he lost count. He curled himself up and rested the side of his head on his pillow, and in the stillness, _they_ returned.

Nightmares. No, memories. Actual Events.

_He remembered the way he was thrown into that dank prison. A big toss, like how one throws a sack of trash into a heap. He turned his head to find the door being shut, and he remembered exactly how it sounded. He couldn't help but bawl, bang on the metal walls begging the guards to get him back to his father, cry for hours and curl and turn over and over._

_The following three years, he had no one to talk to, not even any of the eldest children of the Lord Commader's generals since they are dead._

_He lost everyone. Most especially his father, and Gary who really took care of him._

It was unfortunate he would recall this over and over again every time he laid down in bed, and he had no idea how to stop them.

He couldn't do anything, not even curl himself even. He was powerless and lost, and everything would end badly in the end anyway.

Little Cato cursed softly before forcefully getting himself out of his bed and pulled the chair on his desk. He crashed himself on his seat and looked mindlessly down. His breathing went heavy and he focused on it for a moment, or maybe longer than that. He had no sense of time. The room was still, dark, with a few lights to penetrate from the door outside. The outside was silent as an open field.

Now he was ready. With a heavy exhale, he seated himself properly and switched the hologram device on, and his father's face tinted in blue-green flashed before him.

Little Cato began the session by typing on the keyboard for him to speak, "Hey, son."

"Hey, dad." Little Cato began raising a hand before slumping forward and turning his head to the right, "We're doing okay here."

He stood straight again to type the response, "That's great. Report."

"Mooncake's translator got upgraded just yesterday. Tribore's still on his resistance thing, well, whatever that was, maybe the revolution to this time crystal cage to which I myself brought us into. Anyway, KVN's getting worse. His circuits are getting worn out and overworked. I cleaned Gary's shrine and offered him a cookie. Clarence still drinks piss."

"Noted. Clarence is such an idiot and a burden to this team."

"I know, right? It's weird he still didn't get poisoned."

"I hope so, mind throwing him overboard?"

"Not just yet. Maybe scare him with that I guess..."

Avocato laughed via the typed instruction, "But I need to ask, how long are you still gonna be here? You don't belong here. You need to get back. It's been sixty years!"

"I don't know! I don't know anymore." Little Cato replied now suddenly more distressed.

"You eventually need to get out soon enough, it's not helping. Even if Mooncake still hasn't had his powers back, you need to find a way."

"I tried! But I couldn't. Not even Mooncake, nor Nightfall. God! All we could do is sit around in some boring-ass routine and I'm losing my mind even if I tried so hard to control myself!"

"Never mind about that now. Talk to me."

Little Cato sighed and paused thinking of something to say. He looked at his dad bearing him a subtle frown and eyes filled with patience. "I've been missing you, dad, like a lot."

"I know."

"If you were here, you would manage this whole situation easily. For me, I can't. I don't know much, more like almost everything. I don't even know where you are, and now Gary's gone too. He's a great friend, even if we had been together for a short while since the day you saved me. Where are you? Is Gary with you?"

"Maybe in some part of the universe, son. I could be a spirit roaming around the cosmos or in some crap on the surface, just like what other people say. You die and you are brought back to nature. Heh. That's corny."

"I get you, dad." Little Cato replied melancholily, "But all this is just bullshit like you can't tell where dead people really go—their souls perhaps. Where are you, dad?"

There was silence and soon after, "To be honest, son, I don't know."

"I knew you'd say that. I'm actually just talking to myself anyway. I don't really know how you would feel about it."

"And I'm sorry."

"Yeah. You should be sorry for three years wasted. Goddammit."

"I should have made it up to you."

"You should have made it up for me."

"And I deserve to pay for what I did."

"You should."

"My failure as a father is the reason why I could never have you for so long and why I'm dead right now."

"I wanna ask, you still love me as your son, right?"

"Son..." Little Cato hesitated to type the next words, and it would break him, especially with the fact he had never heard those three words from him. Still, he still needed to hear it. No matter how long Little Cato had to segway before it, he still needed to hear those three words.

"I just don't feel any better. I feel stuck, lost, and wasted." Little Cato continued.

"Don't say that to yourself, son. I beg you."

Little Cato let his hands off the device and muttered to himself, "What am I doing?" in anguish, he buried his face on his palms and stood like that for a few moments. He looked up again to see his father looking at his eyes. They seemed kind and patient to the young man. His dad was waiting, and so he needed to finish this because he was not through releasing his feelings yet.

"Son, I'm right here."

"Yeah, I knew you'd say that. I knew you would never forget me, even when we are apart. The real you—not the hologram—would think and say something like that to me. Your actions even said so much: putting your gun away from me and immediately trying to reach me, and all that."

"You're my son, Little Cato."

"That's also something the real you would say."

Now was the right time to hear the words Little Cato deserved to hear,

"Little Cato, I need you to know this, and listen good. You hear me?"

"I'm all ears" Little Cato replied, backing his head a bit to the side and shutting his eyes now on the verge of slowly welling up, "What is it?"

_Here it goes._

"Son…I love you."

Little Cato's eyes welled up with tears in an instant, and immediately, he broke down loudly.

There we go, and that was enough. The conversation had to stop because Little Cato _just_ had to cry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I plan to post another story, also coming from that shelved work. It'll be about Gary and Little Cato talking some things over after the whole time shard madness. It'll come out though sometime soon :| (shortly I guess).


End file.
